The Alamos Vista trail is one of our favorite high elevation mountain hikes in the southern Rockies. It takes trekkers through a magical grove of “quaking” or “trembling” aspen trees. Less traveled than the Aspen Vista trail, enjoy quiet time amongst the aspens and learn about how these amazing trees reproduce through their root system.
The hike then leads you to Carl’s Meadow, a great place for a brief respite before continuing to the summit for expansive 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains and beyond. We do rate this excursion moderately challenging as you will ascend over 1,000 feet in less than 2 miles. The aspens and the views, however, make this experience truly special.
In the fall, hike this mountain trail with the aspens in their glorious fall colors. Both the Alamos Vista Trail and Aspen Vista are popular destinations in early to mid-October for locals and visitors. Check out our photographs of New Mexico fall foliage.
Atalaya Mountain (Atalaya means Watchtower in Spanish) is located just east of downtown Santa Fe. It’s a moderately challenging hike that takes you from 7,340 feet to 9,121 feet. A popular trail with locals, it offers expansive views of the city and the surrounding mountains.
We love the Atalaya Mountain hike because it is close to town and it offers an invigorating escape into nature. There are several options for making the ascent but many sections are steep. Join us on this trek, learn about the flora and fauna of the area, and enjoy the stunning vistas.
For a challenging day trek, contact us about hiking Picacho Peak and Atalaya Mountain.
Santa Fe’s Dale Ball Trail system is a gem, a network of approximately 25 miles of trails set in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. While you can meander along these trails, starting at different trailheads, we enjoy offering the hike up to Picacho Peak to visitors who are looking for a moderately challenging trek close to town.
The trail is rocky and steep in certain sections but the climb to the peak, at 8,577 feet, is worth it. Along the hike, you’ll have views of Santa Fe with the Jemez Mountains to the far west. From the peak, the vistas of the Sangres, the southernmost tip of the Rockies, is stupendous. It’s a wonderful place to stop, enjoy nature and unwind, before heading back down to town.
Plaza Blanca, the White Place, is a perfect day hike for adults and children. Marvel at the limestone rock formations that seem to reveal faces of animals, church spires or medieval fortresses. Engage your imagination. Wander through the canyons and walk with care up along a trail to the ridge tops for spectacular views.
Plaza Blanca is a destination that Georgia O’Keeffe loved and captured in her paintings of the White Place. It has also served as a stunning location for many movies, including “Cowboys & Aliens” and “The Lone Ranger”.
As of November 2020, Santa Fe Mountain Adventures has a permit to lead private guided hikes at Plaza Blanca. Access to the site is by advance registration with Dar Al Islam. Contact us to learn about Dar Al Islam’s COVID-19 requirements and to book a tour with us!
Join us on our Tent Rocks hike! Many of our intrepid and well-travelled clients have told us that Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks is indeed a marvel. They often compare it to Cappadocia, Turkey, where you can also view remarkable rock formations. This National Monument is called “Tent Rocks” because of the tent- or tepee-like shapes of the rock formations. The Tent Rocks were created 6.8 million years ago by volcanic eruptions in the Jemez Mountains. The nearby Pueblo of Cochiti call the place Kasha-Katuwe, which means “White Cliffs” in the Keresan language.
Fun for adult and children, the hike takes you through a slot canyon that is quite narrow at times. Climb around and over boulders as you take in the beauty of the land. Tent Rocks is truly a magical hike.
Since May 2020, the trails at Tent Rocks have been closed to the public. Please call us for updates.
The Cerro Pedernal is a major landmark in north-central New Mexico. Georgia O’Keeffe said of the Cerro Pedernal, “God told me if I painted it often enough I could have it.”
Affectionately known these days as O’Keeffe’s mountain, it is a place of remarkable beauty. The area also has a rich history dating back to the Clovis Paleoindians. These ancient people used Pedernal chert to produce spear points and other tools.
